Daily I find myself imploring my Fallstoppers (Fall Stop…MOVE STRONG™ class participants) to “Organize Your Body!” To help explain what I mean, I ask them to imagine each of their bodies as a tree moving through space. Each tree has a strong trunk that supports its branches. The trunk is strong core muscles. With the support of a strong trunk one is far less prone to dangerous winds and unpredictable conditions.

53% of falls in healthy older adults occur while walking. When we go about our business each day, we probably never ask ourselves whether we’re walking safely. When we rush, multi-task, and are distracted we’re less likely to be aware of those broken sidewalks, uneven surfaces, cracks in the pavement, that last staircase step. It is very important that we walk mindfully. Here are eight tips to reduce the risk of slips, trips, near-misses and falls while walking.

Starting with Thanksgiving, we have come into our most joyful time of the year, gathering with those we love to share good laughs, good food and, we hope, good nutrition. With that in mind, I called on my niece, NYC-based registered dietitian-nutritionist Kristen Carlucci, and asked her to share her advice.

Flying to a much-anticipated vacation? To a quick weekend getaway? On another business trip? Here are some inflight exercises to get you to your destination feeling fresh and ready to go. And don’t forget to stay well hydrated!

Experiencing a fall in your 60s can be an early wake up call. It can alert you to acknowledge and address some of the changes your body is undergoing. Maybe your balance, hearing or vision has begun to decline, or overall physical strength has decreased. Cognitively, perhaps you have slowed; you find it more difficult to multitask, to do more than one thing at a time. A new medication might be increasing your risk of a fall. If you’re faced with any of these issues, you should consult your doctor.

Moving through our days gets harder as we age. Bending and stretching, stepping off curbs, even navigating the furnishings in a room – many of us don’t perform these movements as efficiently or gracefully when we’re older, and some of us end up hurting ourselves. We might even fall.

But with the right exercises, you can protect your body and enjoy moving more.

We are so grateful for 10 years of bringing Fall Stop…MOVE STRONG programs to communities across the US.

As we celebrate the official 10th Anniversary of Fall Stop…MOVE STRONG™ it is time to look back on how far we've come, from the early years of a grassroots program without a name to a respected program serving communities and individuals through live classes and at-home programs.

A special thank you to the thousands of Fallstoppers that we’ve been honored to help keep moving strong. Here’s to many more years of joy and gratitude. Wishing you a wonderful beginning to the holiday season. ...

Gale is teaching Fall Stop MOVE STRONG™ Classes in Liberty, NY. Students in class range from 66 to 90! Each week donations are collected from the students to go towards Disaster Relief. Thank you Gale Haynes for your love in helping older adults to MOVE STRONG! ...